What is data-driven learning?
Angela Chambers · 2015
In a brief look to the future the potential for a wider adoption of a data-driven learning approach will be assessed. As no one advocates data-driven learning as the main component in an approach to language learning, but rather as an enhancement of text-based work, the learner may be using the concordance to check if one particular use is correct, and the concordance could confirm that and reinforce the learning process. Data-driven learning brings these two uses of the term together, by allowing the learners to have access to corpora so that they can discover frequent patterns and, perhaps more importantly, observe a large variety of examples of their use. Thus data-driven learning, while encouraging learners to take an active part in their learning, is also contributing to a revival of interest in frequency, not the mindless repetition of behaviorism, but rather what Ellis calls 'mindful repetition in an engaging communicative context by motivated learners'.